Tito Ortiz done with drama, focused on fighting

by Shannon J. Owens

Shannon J. Owens: You’re sort of the last guy standing in that golden era of MMA with Ken, Chuck and Randy. Do you feel like this might be your last fight or do you feel like you have more fights left in you?

Tito Ortiz: I feel like I have a lot more fight left in me. You know, my focus is there, my mind set is there, it’s just getting back in shape and that’s what changed everything. When you have injuries and numbness in your arms, legs and you’re like ‘am I able to do this? Am I gonna be able to just get the hunger for it again? And I have that hunger.

Will this be my last fight? There’s always the question there. I couldn’t answer that right now. Right now, I want to fight. I want to go in, give my best and put on a show. I want to entertain, that’s what I do. That’s what God put me on this earth for and that’s why he gave me the skills I have and that’s why I work so hard because I want to provide for my family and provide for fans some of the most exciting fights in the future. Ryan Bader, him being No. 5 in the world, he’s a tough, tough kid and I’ve got my hands full. But if I get this win it puts me right back in the title hunt again.

SJO: In the last couple of years, your private life has been talked about a lot particularly your relationship with Jenna. Do you hope this fight will put the focus back on everything you have done in your professional career?

TO: Yeah, I think that’s the biggest thing. I got a little too caught up in it. I just need to focus on my life as a fighter. It’s very challenging and I’ve gone through a lot of things with the relationship and I kind have been drug through the coals a few times. And I keep my true friends and true family, who know what type of person I really am. I’ve dealt with a lot of demons and I’ve prevailed. I’ve kind of kept my mind straight for this fight. I’ve kind of been focusing strictly on the fight and I’ve kind of been pretty lonesome. But us fighters we’re very lonesome, that’s the way it goes I guess. And it kept my mind focused, I’m really, really happy.

I don’t have, as people say, the drama. I don’t like drama at all, I hate it. Any attention I get, I want it to be positive reinforcement, no more than that. On my twitter @titoortiz, of course, I stopped talking about personal stuff. I no longer talk about that and no longer will talk about that stuff because I don’t think I should air out my dirty laundry ever and I made the mistake of doing that. Being alone and having no one to talk to, you fall into those mistakes. I’ve learned from those mistakes and I won’t let it happen again. Right now it’s strictly about my fight career.

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